Cushion-tired wheel.



W. D. SIMPSON.

CUSHION TIRED WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPII to" WASMIMITON, n c

W D. SIMPSON.

OUSHION TIRBD WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 11111 4. 1912.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

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W. D. SIMPSON.

CUSHION TIRED WHEEL.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 4, 1912.

1,041,182. Patented 0ct.15,1912.

' SSHBETS-SHEET a.

WILLIAM D. SIMPSON, OF COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.

CUSHION-TIRED WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

Application filed May 4, 1912. Serial No. 695,061.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM D. SIMrsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing in Columbia, in the county of Itichland and State of SouthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCushion-Tired Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wheels of the class in which provision is madefor absorbing shocks or vibrations and increasing the traction of thewheel by means of a tire which is constructed to yield radially as thewheel rotates and is subjected to varying strains. Wheels with pneumatictires are now almost universally used for this purpose, but such tireswhen punctured or slightly ruptured are rendered inoperative, andfurthermore are very expensive.

The object of my invention is to provide wheels of this class, withnovel means for absorbing shocks or vibrations and increasing thetraction, which are comparatively inexpensive, and which are notrendered inoperative by ordinary wear, puncture or rupture of the tread.

According to this invention I make the hub and spokes of the wheel ofthe usual construction and I provide an inner rim attached or connectedin any suitable way with the spokes, and an outer rim which is movableradially with reference to the hub. The two rims have flanges whichoverlap each other and these prevent sidewise movement of the outer rim,and the inner rim is free to move to a limited extent circumferentiallywith reference to the outer rim, being confined in such movement bymeans of pegs or lugs carried by a part of the inner rim and projectinginto recesses in the flanges of the outer rim. 1

The outer rim is held yieldingly in place a sufficient distance from theinner rim by radially arranged rods which connect with means operatedpneumatically which tend to press the rods outward. The outer rim ismade of metal and is therefore rigid, but it carries a tread of rubber,or other suitable material. The outer ends of the radial rods carryanti-friction devices, such as balls or rollers, which bear against theinner side of the metal outer rim and while the rods press thetread-carrying rim outward, they permit it to turn or movecircumferentially freely to a limited extent with reference to the innerrim. The inner rim is provided with an air chamber and the radial rodsare so connected with this air chamber that the pneumatic pressure tendsto press them outward to a uniform extent and thus hold the outer rimconcentric with the axis of the wheel, but at times, as when anobstruction is encountered, some of the rods are forced radially inwardthus compressing the air,

causing the rods on the opposite side of the wheel to move radiallyoutward within certain limits and thereafter the upper portion of theouter rim will separate from the outer ends of the rods.

In one form of my invention the rods connect with pistons operating incylinders connected with the air chamber, while in another form of theinvention the rods are pivotally connected with a continuous compressionband or chain arranged in the air chamber and normally pressed outwardby the pneumatic pressure but which is capable of bending or yielding attimes. The oints between the links when a chain is employed are madeair-tight, and between the sides of the band or chain and the sides ofthe air chamber, suitable packing is provided. I may place a pneumatictube in the chamber of the inner rim and cause the band or chain to bearupon it.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view partly in sideelevation and partly in section of an automobile wheel embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 shows a vertical section thereof on a linecorresponding with the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction ofthe arrows with some parts omitted the wheel being shown in the positionit assumes when under load. Fig. 3 shows a transverse section on theline 3-3 of Fig. 5. Fig. at shows a section like Fig. 3,.

but illustrates a modification. Fig. 5 is a detail view on an enlargedscale and in vertical section on a line corresponding with the line 22of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 shows a vertical section of a modified form of theinvention. Fig. 7 shows a section on the line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is adetail view showing how the pegs carried by the inner rim operate in therecesses formed in the flanges of the outer rim.

The hub A and spokes B may be of any suitable construction and the innerrim of the wheel may be applied to the spokes in any suitable way. Theinner rim C, shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, comprises a base 0, outerflanges c, and inner flanges 0 there beand is rigid. The body portion (Zof the rim is provided on opposite sides with flanges d Which extendradially inward and enter the recesses 0 of the inner rim. The flangedouter rim is free to move radially between 7 the flanges c 0 of theinner rim, but in order to prevent the inner rim from spinning or movlngclrcumferentially to an obectionable extent with reference to the outerrim, and to take the strain from the other ;;-parts, the flanges of theouter rim are formed with circular recesses F into which projectpegs orlugs G extending from the inner rim. The arrangement 1s such that thefree radlal movement of the rims with reference to each other ispermitted but the circumferential movement of one rim with reference tothe other is limited. The pegs G will at times bear against the walls ofthe recesses F and follow the curvature of these walls when the y-wheelis in motion and when subjected to irregular strains or meets unusualobstructlons, when a compound movement, 2'. 6., a

,radial and circumferential movement is produced.

An air chamber H is provided on the inner rim between the closed bodyportion 0 of the latter, its flanges 0 and the outer wall 0 whichconnects the flanges 0 but which has radial openings i at suitableintervals to re- 1 ceive the radial rods I which carry ball-bearings Kon their outer ends pressing against the inner face of the outer rim.The rods I extend through the openings 6 and enter the air chamber 1-1.At their inner ends, as

3 shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, they are pivotally connected withwhat I call a compres sion band or chain L which is continuous and isarranged within the air chamber. As shown most clearly in Fig. 5, thiscompres- L'Iision band or chain L is composed of links Z jointed at Z topermit the bending or flexing of the band. These joints should be madein such manner that air cannot escape through them and in order toprevent air from escaping from the air chamber between the flanges c andthe opposite sides of the band suitable packing strips m are provided.

If indicates a valve through which the chamber may be charged withcompressed air. When so charged, the compression band L will be forcedoutward and held concentric with the axis of the wheel in the mannerindicated in Fig. '1 and will press the radial rods I outward so as tohold the outer rim concentric with the hub, but when an obstruction ismet with, the rods I will be pressed radially inward in the mannerindicated in Fig. 2, and the compression band will be acted upon by suchrods and will be moved within the air chamber in the manner indicated inF ig. 2, where, it will be observed, the lower portion of thecompression band has compressed the air above and caused the upperportion of the band to move radially outward. yielding support for theouter rim which is very easy and reliable in operation. Inasmuch as theouter rim is rigid, when the compression band is moved in the mannerjust described the upper portion of the rim will temporarily leave theends of the radial rods. If the motor is suddenly started or its speedincreased there is a tendency for the inner rim to spin or movecircumferentially with reference to the outer rim. If the connectionbetween the two rims were such that no such movement were permitted,there would be considerable strain on the mechanism, but I avoid thisstrain by providing the recesses F and the pegs G which, whilepermitting a slight or limited circumferential movement of one rim withreference to the other, keeps such movement within proper bounds.

While it is possible to provide such joints between the links of thechain L and the sides of the chain and the walls of the air chamber thatleakage will be prevented, yet I may, as shown in Fig. 4, place apneumatic tube N in the air chamber and cause the chain or band L torest on the periphery of this tube. The tube may be filled through asuitable valve M and the outer wall 12, of the tube is preferably madeconsiderably thicker than the other parts thereof.

Instead of employing a band or chain of the kind before described, I mayemploy the construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. In this case theinner rim C and the outer rim D may be of substantially the sameconstruction as that heretofore described. A circular air chamber 0 isformed in the inner rim and this communicates With cylinders P arrangedradially on the inner rim and receiving pistons Q which operate radiallyinthem and carry rods R having at, their outer ends ball bearings Kpressing against the inner side of the outer rim D. The air chamber maybe filled through the. valve M and the air pressure will tend to movethe pistons radially outward and hold the outer rim concentric with theinner rim, but when one part of the wheel meet-s an This affords aobstruction or is subjected to unusual strain, 1

the pistons of that part of the wheel will move radially inwardyieldingly and will thus compress the air in the air chamber and causeit to move the pistons of other parts of the wheel radially outward. Thewheel shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be provided with means herein beforedescribed for permitting the inner rim to move circumt'erentially to alimited extent with reference to the outer rim.

Of course, any rupture, puncture or breakage of the tread will not inany way affect the pneumatic means for cushioning the tire, andprovision is made for a yielding connection between the outer rim andthe inner rim which not only permits these rims to move radially withreference to each other to a sufficient extent but alsocircumferentially to a limited extent without any strain on the radiallymoving parts of the cushioning mechanism.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cushion tired wheel, comprising a telly, an inner rim securedthereto having two flanges on each side with spaces between the flangesand provided also with an air chamber between the inner flanges, anouter rim having flanges extending into the spaces between the flangesof the inner rim and provided with circular recesses on their innersides, pegs projecting from the inner rim and extending into therecesses to limit the circumferential movement 01" the rims relativelyto each other, radial rods provided with ball bearings on their outerends bearing against the outer rim and movable circumferentially to alimited extent relatively thereto, and means within the air chamberpressed outward by pneumatic pressure to which the rods are connected.

2. A cushion tired wheel, comprising a flanged inner rim provided withan air chamber between its flanges, an outer rim having a rigid metallicbody portion and provided with flanges overlapping the flanges of theinner rim, radial rods bearing against the body portion of the outerrim, and a flexible band within the air chamber pivotally connected withsaid rods and pressed outward by pneumatic pressure.

3. A cushion tired wheel, comprising a flanged inner rim provided withan air chamber between its flanges, an outer rim having a rigid metallicbody portion and provided with flanges overlapping the flanges of theinner rim, means for limiting the circumferential movement of the rimsrelatively to each other, radial rods bearing against the body portionof the outer rim, and a flexible band within the air chamber pivotallyconnected with said rods and pressed outward by pneumatic pressure.

l. A cushion tired wheel, comprising a flanged inner rim provided withan air chamber between its flanges, an outer rim having flangesoverlapping the flanges of the inner rim, a pneumatic tube within theair chamber, a flexible band surrounding the pneumatic tube, radial rodsbearing against the outer rim, and connections between said band and theinner ends of the radial rods.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM D. SIMPSON.

Witnesses R. E. CARWILE, BOBBIE TooN.

C ri' of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

